Apparatus, system, and method for automated call initiation

• US 7,734,029 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Five9, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Transcend Products, LLC
• Inventors: Ryskamp, Rix Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US12/406,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20090232295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.11, 379/265.01, 379/265.12, 379/266.08, 379/265.02, 379/201.1, 379/266.07, 705/249
• US Class Current: 379/201.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A method for automated call initiation includes initiating a call to a destination using a first communication line. The method also includes initiating a call status determination that determines when a person answers the call at the destination. Furthermore, the method includes during the call status determination, sending audio information from the destination to an agent. In addition, the method includes assigning the call to the agent, in response to the call status determination determining that the person answered the call at the destination. Therefore, the agent is able to monitor the call and assume a natural response to the person, thus eliminating delay as the conversation begins.

Claims

1. A method for automated call initiation, the method comprising:

initiating a call to a destination automatically by way of an initiation module using a first communication line;

initiating a call status determination automatically by way of an analysis module, the call status determination determining when a person answers the call at the destination;

during the call status determination, sending audio information from the destination to an agent, the audio information comprising voice information generated by a person that answers the call at the destination;

assigning the call to the agent, the agent concurrently receiving the audio information during the call status determination, in response to the call status determination determining that the person answered the call at the destination;

initiating a second call automatically to a second destination by way of a second communication line, the second call distinct from the call;

initiating a second call status determination automatically that determines when a person answers the second call at the second destination;

during the second call status determination, sending audio information from the second destination to one or more of the agent and a second agent, the audio information comprising voice information generated by a person that answers the second call at the second destination; and

assigning the second call to one of the agent and the second agent in response to the second call status determination determining that the person answered the second call at the second destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending audio information from the agent to the person during the call status determination.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the call status determination incorporates a verbal response from the agent in determining that the person answered the call at the destination.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending audio information from the call to two or more agents during the call status determination, the call assigned to an available agent from the two or more agents.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

initiating a plurality of calls;

initiating a call status determination for each of the plurality of calls;

during the call status determination, determining a likelihood for each of the plurality of calls that each call is contacting a person; and

during the call status determination, sending audio information from a destination of a selected call to an available agent, the selected call comprising a call with the highest likelihood of contacting a person.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a user terminal initiates the call, the user terminal comprising two or more communication lines and operated by an agent.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user terminal comprises an analysis module configured to execute the call status determination.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising initiating a second call on the user terminal using a second communication line and transferring the second call to a second user terminal in response to determining that the agent at the first user terminal is unavailable to accept the second call and determining that a second agent operating the second user terminal is available to accept the second call.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending terminal call status from the user terminal to a call controller, the call controller configured to receive group information and assign a plurality of calls to agents for a plurality of user terminals based on the group information, the group information comprising terminal call statuses from the plurality of user terminals.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising broadcasting terminal call status from the user terminal to one or more additional user terminals, the user terminal configured to receive terminal call statuses from the one or more additional user terminals and maintain group information comprising terminal call statuses for each user terminal.

11. An apparatus for automated call initiation using Call Progress Analysis (CPA), the apparatus comprising:

an initiation module configured to automatically initiate an outbound call to a destination using a first communication line;

an analysis module configured to automatically initiate a Call Progress Analysis (“

CPA”

) that determines that a person answers the outbound call at the destination;

an audio monitoring module configured to send audio information from the destination to an agent concurrent with the CPA, the audio information comprising voice information generated by a person that answers the outbound call at the destination;

an audio transmission module configured to send audio information from the agent to the person concurrent with the CPA;

an assignment module configured to assign the outbound call to the agent, the agent concurrently receiving the audio information during the CPA, in response to the CPA determining that the person answered the outbound call at the destination;

the initiation module further configured to automatically initiate a second call to a second destination by way of a second communication line, the second call distinct from the outbound call;

the analysis module further configured to automatically initiate a second CPA that determines when a person answers the second call at the second destination;

the audio monitoring module further configured to send audio information, during the second CPA, from the second destination to one of the agent and a second agent, the audio information comprising voice information generated by a person that answers the second call at the second destination; and

the assignment module further configured to assign the second call to one of the agent and the second agent in response to determining that said agent is available to receive the second call and the second CPA determining that the second person answered the second call at the second destination.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the CPA incorporates a verbal response from the agent in determining that the person answered the call at the destination.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising,

the initiation module configured to initiate a plurality of calls;

the analysis module configured to initiate a CPA for each of the plurality of calls;

the analysis module further comprising a detection module configured to determine a likelihood for each of the plurality of calls that each call is contacting a person during the CPA; and

the audio monitoring module configured to send audio information from a destination of a selected call to an available agent during the CPA, the selected call comprising a call with the highest likelihood of contacting a person.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the initiation module and the analysis module reside on a user terminal, the user terminal comprising two or more communication lines and operated by an agent.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a transferring module configured to transfer a second call on a second communication line to a second user terminal in response to determining that the agent at the first user terminal is unavailable to accept the second call and determining that a second agent operating the second user terminal is available to accept the second call.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a sending module configured to send terminal call status from the user terminal to a call controller, the call controller comprising a group tracking module configured to receive group information, the call controller further configured to assign a plurality of calls to agents for a plurality of user terminals based on the group information, the group information comprising terminal call statuses from the plurality of user terminals.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a broadcasting module configured to broadcast terminal call status from the user terminal to one or more additional user terminals, the user terminal further comprising a status receiving module configured to receive terminal call statuses from the one or more additional user terminals and maintain group information comprising terminal call statuses for each user terminal.

18. A system for automated call initiation, the system comprising:

a network configured to communicate data between a plurality of devices;

a call controller in communication with the network;

a user terminal in communication with the network, the user terminal comprising two or more communication lines and operated by an agent, the user terminal comprising;

an initiation module configured to automatically initiate a call to a destination using a first communication line;

an analysis module configured to automatically initiate a call status determination that determines when a person answers the call at the destination;

an audio monitoring module configured to send audio information from the destination to an agent during the call status determination the audio information comprising voice information generated by a person that answers the call at the destination;

an audio transmission module configured to send audio information from the agent to the person during the call status determination; and

an assignment module configured to assign the call to the agent, the agent concurrently receiving the audio information during the call status determination, in response to the call status determination determining that the person answered the call at the destination;

the initiation module further configured to automatically initiate a second call to a second destination by way of a second communication line, the second call distinct from the outbound call;

the analysis module further configured to automatically initiate a second call status determination that determines when a person answers the second call at the second destination;

the audio monitoring module further configured to send audio information, during the second call status determination, from the second destination to one of the agent and a second agent, the audio information comprising voice information generated by a person that answers the second call at the second destination; and

the assignment module further configured to assign the second call to one of the agent and the second agent in response to determining that said agent is available to receive the second call and the second call status determination determining that the person answered the call at the second destination.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the user terminal further comprises a transferring module configured to receive a second call from a second user terminal in response to a determination that the agent at the user terminal is available to accept the second call.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the user terminal further comprises a sending module configured to send terminal call status to the call controller, the call controller comprising a group tracking module configured to receive group information, the call controller configured to assign a plurality of calls to agents for the plurality of user terminals based on the group information, the group information comprising terminal call statuses from a plurality of user terminals.